For the record, I feel compelled to give a bit on my rationale since obviously everyone voting will have their different reasons. While I don’t have a problem distinguishing between great, good, and not-so-good movies, amongst the greats themselves I find it fairly impossible to rank. Therefore, my picks for “Best Picture” will be more favorites than anything else, the excellent movie of a given year that I’m most likely to want to watch, or think about.

As for performances, I’ll admit I’m considering presence as much as technique. With directors, it’s a bit more “objective” – I’m picking the film I think has the most vivid, unique, vital mise en scene (which is sort of ineffable, but can be fundamentally focused on shot structure, composition shot duration and shot style I think – editing, lighting, performance, sets, etc. all play into it but I think those crucial details are the ones that most reflect the director’s vision).

I’ll admit too that, perhaps unjustly, I may distribute awards over the years. In other words, knowing that an even better performance is coming up for a given actor I may lean toward another one in a toss-up. (Example: this week, all things being equal I might vote for Chaney for He Who Gets Slapped, but because I know he’ll be winning later in the 20s – maybe twice – I’m giving it to Jannings instead. Though he may get another one or two come to think of it. Maybe this is a bad method…)

So then, on to 1924:

Best Picture: Die Nibelungen
Best Actor: Emil Jannings (The Last Laugh)
Best Actress: Greta Garbo (The Saga of Gosta Berlings)
Best Director: F.W. Murnau (The Last Laugh)
Best Short: Ballet Mecanique

honorable mention (I’m doing this just for fun, to pay tribute to a favorite from every year that didn’t get any nods from me): The Thief of Bagdad

This is an extremely difficult year to pick a Best Picture. Greed, The Last Laugh, Strike, Sherlock Jr, Die Nibelungen, He Who Gets Slapped, The Navigator, Mikael, etc are all worthy films. Like Joel above I’m just going for a very personal pick that deep down may not necessarily be the most accomplished.

I initially voted for Chaney and then edited/changed my selection. He Who Gets Slapped is somewhat underrated by lovers of the man with a thousand faces. I personally think it’s one of his best and even superior to Hunchback and Phantom.

Gotta say I’m shocked that Ballet Mecanique gets so much love, I did not like that short at all, and comparing it to Entr’acte, one of the most impressive and visual short stories on my eyes, that’s quite strange.

Nothing wrong with considering Entr’acte the better film. I would say it’s very close between the two, but your initial comment of being shocked by Ballet Mecanique getting love is what is really strange.

Since it appears ‘Greed’ will win the best picture category (and Director), as it probably should, so I’ll pick purely on the ones I just blindingly love.
Best Picture: ‘The Last Laugh’, one of my absolute favorite films ever and certainly my favorite Murnau. (I almost put ‘The Cigarette Girl of Mosselprom’ here)
Best Director: Sergei M.Eisenstein (‘Strike’, what can I say those dissolves as he introduces characters with their animal nicknames are just sublime. And it’s merely the appetizer for what is coming)
Best Actor: Emil Jannings (‘The Last Laugh’)
Actress: Yuliya Solntseva (‘The Cigarette Girl of Mosselprom’, not sure why she’s not available to be picked it’s an iconic sort of turn)
Short: ‘Ballet Mécanique’

GREED and SHERLOCK JR. are among the greatest films ever made. I went with the Von Stroheim ultimately because Keaton has made other masterpieces, one of which I’ve already gone with (OUR HOSPITALITY).

It wasn;t unfinished…it was taken out of his hands and butchered down. Can hardly blame the Von for that. Like blaming prostitutes in 1888 Whitechapel for attacking Jack the Ripper’s blade with their throats. But a win for Keaton can never be a bad thing.

Well, I just was trying to say that the 4 hrs version (with still pictures) I saw seems like an unfinished work. I think von Stroheim is to blame for trying a 10 hrs movie, but surely the movie we have today is not brightly directed, or else we would have to share the prize with the butchers who finished it.

You can thank the much-heralded boy ‘genius’, Irving Thalberg, for the massacre of Stroheim’s masterpiece. And every year the Oscars actually hand out a special Irving Thalberg Memorial award to “creative producers”!!!
What rot.

Top Clicks

Wonders in the Dark is a blog dedicated to the arts, especially film, theatre and music. An open forum is highly encouraged, as the site proctors are usually ready and able to engage with ongoing conversation.